just so everyone understands. i've done the smaller sail and long board thing. i've learned that i have more abilities to use apparent wind when riding the wave if i have a larger sail. those that read from forum contributors that enjoy side shore to side off more often than not may be leading people away from this option too much? that's my only concern. glad everyone is interested in grabbing waves with long boards in light winds. one can get into a wave far easier with more powerful gear thru a wider range of conditions. staying small limits the rider's ability to get teh most out of a wave. capice?_________________www.aerotechsails.comwww.exocet-original.comwww.iwindsurf.comhttp://www.epicgearusa.com/http://powerexmasts.com/?page_id=72

I believe that those who live or otherwise are able to sail frequently at places like Hatteras where you can readily find sideshore to side off wave sailing sites can really enjoy and maximize lightwind wavesailing. Especially when riding on small sails and boards like the Sealion. For those places these types of light wind wavesailing rigs and boards seem to really be the way to go for maximum waveriding performance and manuverability as demonstrated so effectively by the local Hatteras wavesailors.

However, for those who live and work nearer to mainland beaches along the eastern coast of North Carolina and other states such as Florida it is usually uncommon to have a sideshore to side off day. So except for those times when we can travel to more distant side off spots, if we want to sail the ocean on light wind days and ride some waves we are primarly stuck with side on to onshore-side on winds and far less than ideal conditions.

Due to this I have to agree with Jingebritsen that using a larger sail and bigger board, especially ones designed for windsurfing more than SUPing, such as the Exocet Curve 11-5, the WindSUP or the BIC Ace-Tech 11-6, etc. can give you more power, stablity, and easier ability to get out over the shore break, sideshore currents, mushy and/or rough surf so typical of side-on days. Plus, thanks to big 6.5-7.5 wave sails, there is power to get you up and onto the less than ideal waves.

Additionally you also have more power to quickly work your way upwind when desired, get you up on a plane, and have a lot of fun blasting back downwind riding waves in and surfing down swell faces heading back out. Also if you so desire, you can just head out and enjoy an afternoon of windsurfing out on the ocean not even concerned about wave riding. This is easy to do thanks to the fact that you have a board that can easily get you out over the surf to do so and a bigger sail to power you along.

So I think it just comes down to what kind of light wind wavesailing will you primarily be doing? If side shore to side off then go with the smaller sails and boards designed for those conditions. If primarily side-on then larger boards and bigger power wave sails will likely be a big advantage for you.

I used the Sealions XL, 83 and the Pro in various beaches on the west coast and it works well. With Sail and with out sail. (off course side offshore would be the best but we dont have that most often here)
I sell a line of SUP http://www.nahskwell-sup.com so there is a whole line up to choose from that I can compare with the sealion.
I like the Sealions very handy, light bullet proofed construction, agile and lifly on the waves. It feels like a short Windsurfwave board made to get on the waves in little wind and that was the reason we designed them so sail the 100 days a year you ussualy sit on the beach and . AS physics explains it there is a difference turning 11 foot board 35 lb or a 7'6" 15 lb in to a bottom turn. The Sealion Pro is an agressive Board and can help the advanced rider getting many more happy days on the waves.

RIGHT ON JURG!I,M A 58 YR. OLD 205 LB.30 PLUS YEARS WINDSURFING AND REALLY LOVE MY SEALIONS!!!DON,T HAVE MORE VARIABLE LIGHT WIND CONDITIONS THAN ON THE GREAT LAKES!EASY TO TRANSPORT,LIGHT GOT A WHOLE QUIVER THE WHOLE FAMILY USES!PRO,CLASSIC,8-3!MY BIGGEST SAIL IS A 5.3 AND I CAN GO IN SOME PRETTY LIGHT STUFF ONSHORE,BACKSIDE UPWIND!LOTS OF FUN!EVERYONE OPEN YOUR MIND AND DO YOURSELF A FAVOR TRY A SMALLER SUP/WINSURFABLE SUP YOU MAY BE SURPRISED!THANKS FOR TURNING ME ON TO AHD BILL AND JURG

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